Pneumatic clutch-controller.



w. D. NIGKUM & M. GLAUSSEN. PNEUMATIG CLUTCH CONTROLLER.

APPLIUATIUN FILEDi HAY l0, 1911.

1,018,772. Patented F8112?, 1912 NIOKUM AND MARTIN GLAUSSEN, QF ANGELES, CALUOBNIA:

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Bpeccatien of Letters Patent.

rAnnihilation Bled May 10, 1911. Serial No. 626,355.

Tocli whom il may concern:

Be it known that we, Winrar D. Nlcimm and. Mesem Cia-esser, bpth citizens of the United Studies, residing et Los Angeles, in the county Angeles vund State of California, have invented a new and useful Pneumatic Clutch-Controller, of which the foliowin is a specication.-

This invention rel-etes to a device which is adefpted te be connected to the clutch lever 0r permitting the clutch lever to be moved freely in one direction to release the clutch, but which Awill cause the clutch lever to move slowly in the other direction in moving in the clutch, thereby preventing the clutch from toc suddenly engaging and causing shock tothe mechanism. The pneumatic controlling device causes the enga in movement of the clutch to automatica y ta e place gradually without an effort on the part of the operator whose cot, if desired, may be suddenly removed from the clutch lever as soon as he desires the clutch to be engaged and the engaging movement will take place automatically at the proper speed for gradually clutching the members of the clutch and bringing the driven shaft gradually into rotation.

The invention is specially designed for use in connection with automobile clutches, although, obviously, it may be employed in other situations.

One of the main objects of the invention is to produce a device of this character which may'be readily att-ached without reuiring reconstruction of any of the parts of the clutch, clutch lever, or automobile.

Another object of the invention is to provide for regulating the speed at which the clutch will be moved in.

Another object is to provide for throwing out the clutch and permitting the clutch to be moved back in with its usual speed without being retarded by thc pneumatic controlling device, this beiney of especial advantage when it is desireti to shift the gears quickly. For example, in ascending a hill` it frequently becomes necessary `to shift the Vgears to a lower speed und4 this must be donc very quickly or the nuto mobile, not having headway, will come to a standstill, und, if thc pneumatic clutch controlling device were permitted to retard the closing movement of the clutch after this geur shift had been made, the timeF which would clapse before the clutch was would have 4lost too much headway'. ,Brit this is avoided by the construction which is employed, es by moving the clutch lever forward a comparatively short distance, -the clutch will be thrown out and the gears may he shifted quickly, then. by releasin fully in would htrsdgreat that `the clutch lever the clutch will be move This short baci: quickly into engagement.

movement of the clutch lever, whilehel,

sniieient to disengage the clutch, is nots f igcientv'to cause the pneumatic reteirdng device to o erate. Ordinarily, in the'iop eration of t e clutch, the clutch lever will be moved forward its full thi-ow which will bring the retardi-ng 'device into operation and it is only in conditionsof emergency, such as above shown, where it is desiredi to` opera-te the clutch without the retarding e ect produced by the pneumatic control,- ling device. Thus, it will be seen that although the clutch is equipped with ,the pneumatic controlling device, the clutch is nevertheless under the complete control of` the operator lend may be operated either to Patented Feb. 21, 1cm.

be retarded by the pneumatic controlling device or not to be retarded thereby, as the conditions may require, either condition of operation being determined by the distance which the operator `ushes the clutch lever forward, the full t row forward causing the pneumatic controlling device to operate and a short throw forward causing the clutch to operate without the controlling device affecting it.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a sectional view through a clutch, part of the clutch and the clutch lever being in elevation, the pneumatic controlling device being shown in elevation and connected to the clutch lever. Fig. 2 is a full size vertical section through the pneumatic controlling device. Fig. 3 is a section on line .1131113 Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the regulating disk. Fig. 5 is u section on line :cL-w" Fig. 4.

I In the drawings, we have shown a clutch of the cone type, although, as will be 0bvious, a disk clutch or clutch of other design may be controlled by the device. The cone clutch consists of female member 1 and mule member 2, the latter being secured lby feather 3 to the driven shaft 4, the fellt1 forked end 7 of a clutch lever 8 pivoted` at 9. A collar 10 on the shaft4 acts as an abutment for a compression spring 11, the other end of which bears against the sleeve 6, the spring 11 serving to exert a forward pressure against the sleeve 6 tending to move the member 2 into engagement with the member 1, except when the member 2 is moved out of engagement with the member 1 by operating the clutch lever 8. On the upper end of the clutch lever 8 is a pedal 12, i

The pneumatic clutch controlling device may be secured in any desired situation to the automobile. In the drawing, we have shown it secured to the dash-board 13. The pneumatic clutch controller consists of'a cylinder 14 with feet 15, by means of which it is attached to the automobile.V Sliding within the cylinder 14 is a piston 16 of any suitable construction, preferably with a cup leather 17 on its upper face retained byA a plate 18 and screws 19. A connecting rod 20 is pivoted at one end to the piston 16 and at the otherend to a crank 21 formed on a shaft 22fwhich'is journalad diametrii cally in the cylinder 14 and extend's through one wall thereof and carries a segmental l gear 23 which meshes with' a segmental gear 24 on a shaft 25. Keyed to the shaft 25 and rotating therewith is a regulatingdisk 26 which is formed with a segmental notch 27. An adjusting screw 28 extends `through the disk 26 and protrudes into the notch' 27, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, a` set-nut 29 being provided for locking the screw 28 in the position adjusted. y Journaled on the shaft 25 is an arm 30 which lies within the notch 27 and has a` movement therein relative to the disk 26, the degree of relative movement being regulated by the position of the screw 28. The arm 30 is connected by an arm 31 with the upper end of the cliltch lever 8, as shown in Fig. 1. A head 32 is secured to the upper end of the cylinder 14 and is provided with a port 33 and a port 34, both of which communicate with a transverse passage 35 leading to the atmosphere. A needle valve 36 extends into `the passage 35 and across the end of the port 34 and affords means for regulating the communication between port 34: and passage 35. The portJ 33 is always in full communication with passage 35. A valve 37 is carried on a lever 38 pivoted to a. pair of lugs 39 which project below the head 32 and a screw 4f) carried by the piston is adapted to strike the opposite end of the lever 38 to depress the valve 37 and open the port 33. A flat spring 41 prevents rattling of the lever 38 and assists in the closing movement of-the lever, but is not strong enough to close the valve 37 unassisted.

ln operation, the spring 11 normally holdsl the clutch members 1 and 2 in engagement,

the clutch lever 8 being in position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, with the arms 30 and 31 extended and the piston 16 at the upper end of the cylinder. To release the clutch, the lever 8 is pushed forward. If it is only desired to release the clutch without causing the pneumatic controlling device to operate, this forward movement of the clutch lever should not cause the arm 30 to be oscillated farther than its free movement in the notch 27 and in such case upon the clutch lever 8 being released, the spring 11 will immediately move the clutch member 2 into engagement with the member 1, the arm 30 swinging back freely in notch 27 without retarding the closing movement of the clutch member 2. If, however, it is desired that the pneumatic controllin device be operated, the operator in reiiaasing the clutch will push the clutch lever 8 its full throw forward into position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, which will cause arm 30 to strike against screw 28 and turn disk 26, thereby rocking shaft 25 and causing gears 24 and' wardly moving piston holding the valve 37s open. A vent 33" in the lower end of the cylinder prevents compression in the lower end of the cylinder. The clutch is held open so long as the clutch lever 8 is held in this position. When-the clutch lever 8 is released, the spring 11 operates to disengage the clutch, which causes the piston 16 bo ascend, whereupon the air above the piston closes valve 37 and as the piston rises, the air above the piston is compressed, which retards the upward movement of the piston and through the before-described connections retards the closing movement of the clutch lever 8. This retarding movement is regulated by the speed at which the air can escape through the restricted port 34 which may be adjusted by re ulating the needle valve 36, as before exp ained. The piston 16 thus moves up gradually and the clutch member 2 is thereby caused to automatically move into clutching engagement, so that no shock is imparted to any of the machinery. Just before the final closing movement, the screw 40 strikes the lever 38 and opens valve 37 quickly, which suddenly relieves the pressure above the piston and allows the clutch spring 11 to forcibly act and quickly move the clutch member 2 through this short final movement into intimate engagement` with the member 1. This insures the positive engagement of the clutch members,

This amount of quick final movement is regulated by causing thescrew 40 to strike the lever 38 earlier or later, as desired, which is accomplished by adjusting the screw 40.

In order to house the gears 2.3 and 24, a casing 42 is provided.

With this device the automobile may be easily started on the high gear even when standing still as the clutch takes hold so gradually.`

The needle valve 36 is so designed that one turn of its thumb screw 36 will open the port 34 sufficiently to allow unrestricted movement. of the iston. This places the pneumatic controlling device in inoperative condition, allowing unrestricted movement of the clutch.

What we claim is:

l. In combination with a clutch lever, a pneumatic clutch controller comprising a cylinder, a piston therein, one of said members being provided with a port permitting the free entrance of air and with a ort for the exhaust of air, a valve controlled by the piston for closing said inlet port while the piston is compressing, and an extensible connection from said piston to the clutch lever.

2. In combination with a clutch lever, a pneumatic clutch controller comprising a cylinder, a piston therein, ports for the inlet and exhaust of air from the cylinder, a crank shaft in the cylinder, a connecting rod between the crank shaft and piston, a gear on the crank shaft, another shaft on the cylinder, a gear on the latter shaft meshing with the lirst gear, a disk on the latter shaft, an arm journaled on the latter shaft and having a loose connection with the disk, andanother arm connected to the first arm and adapted to be connected to the clutch lever.

3. In combination with a clutch lever, a pneumatic clutch controller comprising a cylinder, a piston therein, the cylinder having air inlet and exhaust ports, a lever pivoted in the upper end of the cylinder, a valve on one end of the lever adapted to close the inlet port, a screw inthe piston for actuating said lever, a crank shaft in the cylinder, a connecting rod between the crank shaft and piston, another shaft, a gear on the crank shaft and a gear on the latter shaft meshing with the gear on the crank shaft, a disk on the latter shaft, an arm journaled on the latter shaft, said disk having a segmental notch which receives said arm and allows a limited movement thereof with respect to the disk, and another arm connected to the first arm and adapted to be connected to the clutch lever.

4. In combination with a clutch lever, a pneumatic clutch controller comprising a cylinder, a piston therein, the cylinder having air inlet and exhaust ports, a lever pivoted in the upper end of the cylinder, a valve on one end of the lever adapted to close the inlet port, a screw in the piston for actuating said lever, a crank shaft in the cylinder, a connecting rod between the crank shaft and piston, another shaft, a gear on the crank shaft and a gear on the latter shaft meshing with the gear on the crank shaft, a disk on the latter shaft, an arm journaled on the latter shaft, said disk having a segmental notch which receives said arm and allows a limited movement thereof with respect to the disk, a screw in said disk for adjusting said free movement of said arm, another arm connected to the first arm and adapted to be connected to the clutch lever, a transverse passage in said cylinder communicating with both .of said ports and with the atmosphere, a needle valve extending into said transverse passage, said needle valve extending over the end of the exhaust port for regulating the passage of air therethrough.

.In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands at Los Angeles, California, this 28th day of April 1911.

'WLTER D. NICKUM. MARTIN CLAUSSEN. In presence of- G. T. HAGKLEY, FRANK L. A. GRAHAM. 

